Ex-Blackwater contractors will not face death penalty for Afghanistan shootings

[sabra]

Source: wtkr

Norfolk, Va. - A Norfolk federal judge has decided that prosecutors can't seek the death penalty against two former Blackwater contractors. They are being charged after shooting at a car that caused an accident in front of their vehicle in Afghanistan.

The victory for the defense in federal court was small but important. Federal prosecutors told a judge they will not seek the death penalty for Chris Drotleff and Justin Cannon.

The two Blackwater security guards are accused of shooting two Afghan civilians last May. Prosecutors say both had been drinking when they drove off a military base without permission. They had an accident and shot at three Afghans, killing two of them. while Drotleff's family seemed relieved in the court room, they were in no mood to talk when they came out.

...

Drotleff and Cannon's lawyers say there is still a lot of work to be done, but at least their clients aren't facing death now.

"The death penalty is reserved for the most heinous cases and the most heinous defendants and this bill doesn't fit these two men," said James Brocoletti, defense lawyer.

Read more: http://www.wtkr.com/news/wtkr-ex-blackwater-no-death-penalty,0,56749.story

[meegbear]

1. So shooting at a car that caused an accident in front of their vehicle is not a heinous act?

[kas125]

2. I doubt whether there is ANY act that a Blackwater defense

attorney would deem heinous. Hell, what could be more heinous than defending those thugs?

[SkyDaddy7]

4. Come on! Liz Cheney!

There is no difference in what you just said than Liz Cheney said about the lawyers who defended Al-Quaeda suspects.

Yes, these blackwater guys are thugs but you can't hammer those who are defending them. Well, you can but it is not right!

[kas125]

9. Sure there is. They aren't lawyers assigned to defend

innocent people held without charges, they're defending murderers and people who have cheated the government and each of its citizens. Voluntarily. For a LOT of money. What kind of lawyer would choose Blackwater as a client? It couldn't possibly be an ethical one, unlike those who defended the innocent people at Guantanamo.

[groundloop]

3. IMHO, it qualifies as heinous, but I don't support the death penalty.

Let them rot in prison for the rest of their wretched lives, they deserve that. But, I'm against the death penalty, even for these murderers.

[Ozymanithrax]

5. No one should face the death penalty for any reason...n/t

[truth2power]

6. Too bad they weren't sentenced to death. Vermin. n/t

[mvd]

7. I don't support the death penalty ever

Ironically, this case points out one of the reasons - inequality in sentencing.

[BunkerHill24]

8. AHA! Where have I heard the term "Legislating from the bench" ? n/t

[coloredbait]

10. It's about time..

death penalty... no. it benefits no one. except the lawyers perhaps.
abortion........no. it benefits the ignorant pregnant female only, obviously not the fetus, who is human by the way. If it involves making a life or death decision? Let the M.D. answer that. and have that option.
I consider both to be State sponsored murder, and no State should have that much power over an individual.
The Blackwater bastards should be locked down for the rest of their lives as violent offenders and made to pay restitution to the Afghani families.

[uppityperson]

11. "abortion........no. it benefits the ignorant pregnant female only". Ah.

[coloredbait]

12. ignorant

lacking knowledge or information as to a particular subject or fact: ignorant of quantum physics. unaware that there is something available called contraceptives, or unaware of how to use said contraceptives, or unaware that contraceptives are free through the local health department, and has a male partner equally ignorant. not to be confused with being stupid. ... hmmm... maybe I will let others draw that comparison.

[EFerrari]

13. It is ignorance that overlooks the fact that contraceptives sometimes fail.

[coloredbait]

15. %

what are the percentage rates of failure? 2 in 100? if heterosexual activity is treated as a playground, then accept the risks that are inherent with it. you accept a risk every time you ride a motor vehicle. you do accept what happens if the accident occurs. you do not intentionally take an innocent life.

[uppityperson]

17. 15-32% for those free and otc types (condoms, sponge). Educate yourself

http://www.contraceptivetechnology.org/table.html
http://www.contracept.org/risks.php

[EFerrari]

22. Actually, I support safe and legal abortion for anyone who wants one.

And, welcome to the 20th Century.

[uppityperson]

14. Contraceptives fail, partners lie, no local free supplier, rape happens

There are more reasons for pregnancy than intentional and ignorance.
14

[coloredbait]

16. again and again

the innocent human life must pay for mistakes in judgment and the evil men do.
NO! there is value and untapped potential in every child. should we, like the Chinese, start drowning our daughters just because they are unwanted.

[uppityperson]

18. Indeed, those innocent rape and incest victims. Condemed to risking their lives and health

to satisfy forced birthers.

[coloredbait]

19. again ,

why add a second victim to the crime? when it is innocent of the crime. unless your cries of vengeance resonate and focus on that life.

[uppityperson]

20. I prefer to save the woman who is alive and living rather than force her to

suffer the possibilities of pregnancy and childbirth. You prefer to have the raped woman (I forget, is she still "ignorant" like you declared earlier?) to have to suffer further sp that that "innocent" does not? How is an embryo "innocent"? By saying it is "innocent" you are also saying that it can be "guilty" of...what?

You still say that women get pregnant only because they are ignorant or intentionally. Ah.

[Hepburn]

26. A fetus has NO constitutional rights...

...human females do. Take a clue: A woman is NOT a 2nd class citizen to a fetus for ANY reason.

[uppityperson]

27. Do you ever masturbate? I know, personal question, but so is your interest in my healthcare

[ScreamingMeemie]

31. Odd opinion for a Communist to have.

oh yeah, welcome to DU.

[coloredbait]

32. thanx

have you read Marx? Karl not Groucho.

[ScreamingMeemie]

39. Yes I have. Have you???

[Hello_Kitty]

24. Should miscarriages be investigated as negligent homicides?

Maybe we better lock up all the women of childbearing age! Just in case!

[Hepburn]

25. Nooooo...don't just lock them up...

...place them in cacoons for the duration ~~ no negligent homicide that way!

[uppityperson]

21. The only time abortions should be done is MD says "life or death"?Abortion=state sponsred murder?

If a woman pays for an abortion, this is "state sponsored murder"? Yet you would give an MD the right to make this decision "if it involves making a life or death decision"? So when the embryo vaguely resembles a frog embryo, this is "state sponsored murder", yet when a pregnant woman is 8 months along and will die, then this is ok with you if the md says so?

[coloredbait]

30. is it a medical case by case?

is an embryo alive? is it human? has it committed a crime by coming into existence? i cannot believe that we could not feel compassion for the cytoblast.

[uppityperson]

34. Define "alive". "is an embryo alive", depends on your definition.

"has it committed a crime by coming into existence" has no bearing on anything. There is no right to exist. Your sperm and my eggs exist. You have no comment about contraceptives (above) where your premise was proven false. Ah.

You feel more compassion for this cytoblast () than this woman

[coloredbait]

35. no right to exist...thats harsh.

do humans have a right to exist? all rights would be nullified if that were true. compassion yes, for the woman's life? absolutely, for the embryo? I have to say yes if I answered 'yes' to being compassionate for the woman. I do not get to pick and choose. committing a crime by coming into existence? It would seem so if the penalty is death for the act of just existing.

[uppityperson]

36. Define "life". Comment on your false premises on contraceptives.

Does your sperm commit a crime when you masturbate? Does my egg commit a crime when I have my menses?

Answer these things or we can not have any sort of communication.

[coloredbait]

37. whats coming.

I have tried to define it as 'Human Life" and that I assume, for my definition would be the successful fusing of ova and spermatozoa. the sperm or the egg cannot stand alone unless you believe in immaculate conception, hand(s) of God(s), magic, ad nauseam.

[uppityperson]

38. You won't, or can't, answer. 1 more try and 1 more question.

1) Define "life". No, life=human life does not define what "life" is. Are you saying that the "successful fusing of ova and spermatozoa" is what makes "life"?

2) Comment on your false premises on contraceptives. (upthread)

3) Does your sperm commit a crime when you masturbate? Does my egg commit a crime when I have my menses? Are you saying that "he sperm or the egg cannot stand alone" so individually there is no crime?

4) Do you sincerely believe that women do not think before they get an abortion.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=8187910&mesg_id=8196498

[Hello_Kitty]

23. Gotta punish those sluts, eh? eom

[U4ikLefty]

28. Popcorn for now, but hoping for pizza later.

:popcorn:

[coloredbait]

33. Now

would anyone care to discuss some serious adoption reform in America? A LOT of potential parents have to go overseas to adopt. WHY!

[sattahipdeep]

29. Prince estimated his monthly legal bills to be between $2-3 million.

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20100503/scahill2

http://rebelreports.com/